When we got back to the hotel, I saw Julia Rodriquez!! I had met her two years ago, along with her son Ariel, whom I did not have the chance to see during this visit. She said that he had grown very tall. We chatted a little and then were off to the historical center of Quito. She was our tour guide and gave us a fantastic tour of the city’s history. We saw amazing architecture and learned about the history behind these magnificent works of art.
The first building that we saw was the Basílica del Voto Nacional. After taking Medieval Art and Architecture class, seeing the Basílica del Voto Nacional first hand was breathtaking. Seeing something similar to what I had studied and seeing that knowledge in a real structure was incredible. The first architectural structure of the Basílica that stood out to me was the stained glass, rose window. Abbot Suger of France believed that light meant God and light signified hope and people turned to God for hope. Thus, there were many stained glass windows along the basilica to let in light. The use of pointed arches was also evident which helped redirect stress lines downward and aided in thinner walls. The basilica was a long nave with an apse at the end for the altar. Then, we went outside and saw the front of the Basilica. There were two towers in the front along with clocks in them. The best part was that we were able to climb the towers and see the whole city!! I love climbing and I love heights; it was an amazing experience. I have never climbed a basilica before. Every time that we thought we were had finished climbing, another set of stairs came into view, promising another adventure. I loved it!!!
After that, we went to Plaza de la Independencia, where all the government buildings are located. This is the main square of the city. On each side of the square there is a main building: Carondelet Palace (presidential palace of Ecuador), the Cathedral of Quito, the Archbishop's Palace with the Plaza Grande Hotel and the Municipal Palace of Quito. We were here two years ago. Standing in that square once again, coming back and seeing familiar faces and places, it felt like home. Going away for college had the same effect. When I went away for college, it was not something that I had done before, going away for months at a time and only going home for breaks. It felt the same here. Coming back after two years and coming back to something I recognized made me feel as if I was coming home. It is almost like déjà vu. It is hard to explain, but the feelings accompanied by this déjà vu are happiness, serenity, and a sense of home.
We then walked a little more to San Francisco Plaza. When you walked into the San Francisco Church, the amount of intricate designs that one saw was astonishing!!
The first building that we saw was the Basílica del Voto Nacional. After taking Medieval Art and Architecture class, seeing the Basílica del Voto Nacional first hand was breathtaking. Seeing something similar to what I had studied and seeing that knowledge in a real structure was incredible. The first architectural structure of the Basílica that stood out to me was the stained glass, rose window. Abbot Suger of France believed that light meant God and light signified hope and people turned to God for hope. Thus, there were many stained glass windows along the basilica to let in light. The use of pointed arches was also evident which helped redirect stress lines downward and aided in thinner walls. The basilica was a long nave with an apse at the end for the altar. Then, we went outside and saw the front of the Basilica. There were two towers in the front along with clocks in them. The best part was that we were able to climb the towers and see the whole city!! I love climbing and I love heights; it was an amazing experience. I have never climbed a basilica before. Every time that we thought we were had finished climbing, another set of stairs came into view, promising another adventure. I loved it!!!
After that, we went to Plaza de la Independencia, where all the government buildings are located. This is the main square of the city. On each side of the square there is a main building: Carondelet Palace (presidential palace of Ecuador), the Cathedral of Quito, the Archbishop's Palace with the Plaza Grande Hotel and the Municipal Palace of Quito. We were here two years ago. Standing in that square once again, coming back and seeing familiar faces and places, it felt like home. Going away for college had the same effect. When I went away for college, it was not something that I had done before, going away for months at a time and only going home for breaks. It felt the same here. Coming back after two years and coming back to something I recognized made me feel as if I was coming home. It is almost like déjà vu. It is hard to explain, but the feelings accompanied by this déjà vu are happiness, serenity, and a sense of home.
We then walked a little more to San Francisco Plaza. When you walked into the San Francisco Church, the amount of intricate designs that one saw was astonishing!!